Origins of Tamils?[Where are Tamil people from?]-PART :39

[Compiled by: Kandiah Thillaivinayagalingam]

The creation of the world has been one of the fundamental questions that the humans have been seeking an answer for, since time immemorial. Various spiritual, theological, philosophical, and scientific explanations have been put forth till date, in attempts to unravel the mystery of the world's creation.The first written tales of creation were recorded by the Sumerians and It tells who & how created the world?

A goddess.  "Nammu", the mother of all things, Goddess of the Primordial Sea, created the heavens and earth from her own body/giving birth to "An", the Sky God, and "Ki", the Earth Goddess.  No husband or male god is attested in connection with Namma/Nammu, thus leading to the belief that "the first cosmic production is asexual".In later tradition, namely in "Enuma Elish", "Tiamat" takes over the role of "Namma" as primeval ocean.

The reading and spelling of Namma's name has been subject to some research.According to the ancient Sumerian texts, the Sumerian god, "An/Anu", the “supreme Lord of the Sky”, the currently reigning titular head of the Sumerian Family Tree, had two sons. They were "Enki/Ea", Lord of the Earth and Waters (whose mother was Antu/ Antum/Nammu], and "Enlil/Ilu", Lord of the Air and Lord of the Command (whose mother was Ki).Further,According to legends, heaven and earth were once inseparable until Enlil was born; Enlil cleaved heaven and earth in two. "An" carried away heaven. "Ki", in company with Enlil, took the earth.In other words,"An" and "Ki" produced within or between them Enlil, air, and as the air began to stir in the darkness within the mountain, it separated sky and earth.Also Samuel Noah Kramer identifies "Ki" with the Sumerian mother goddess Ninhursag and claims that they were originally the same figure. Then to see better, Enlil begot the moon-god Nanna, who in turn begot the sun-god Utu, presumably to make the light brighter. By this time the world had come into being, for the sky (An) by expansion of air (Enlil) had reached a great height, and the earth (Ki) had made a solid floor below, with sun and moon to bring light.Enki was born, along with his sister Ereshkigal, when Anu's tears—shed for for his separated sister-lover Ki (earth)—met the salt waters of the primeval sea goddess Nammu.Hence Enki was the son of the god An & of the goddess Nammu (Kramer 1979: 28-29, 43)[ Antu/Antum/ Nammu],a concubine or another consort of Anu's was his mother?]Enki was the keeper of the holy powers called Me, the gifts of civilized living.

For as long as they could remember the male gods had always worked for a living.They had not minded this at first.But when the female gods were created,the male gods had to work harder to keep them happy.Then the gods had a great deal of trouble making enough bread to eat and enough clothes to wear.They become very angry at having to work so hard.Gods should have servants who would take care of their every need.So they took some clay from the river bank and started to roll it in their hands.They shaped the clay until a head,a body,arms and legs appeared and then they gave the clay life.Thus were people made from the river mud and given life by the gods.Now it was the job of the people to give food,clothing and shelter to the gods.The gods were set free from ever having to work again.

In contrast to the above sumerian creation story,this is surprised to note that,the sangam literature,Tholkapiyam was never mention that World & life were created by god as most of the other religion said,But It clerely mentioned  that they were evolved from five basic elements such as  earth [land],fire,water,,air[wind] & space[sky] .Thus, when all of them mixed each others ,World evolved gradually.Then,when all of them move within a said  limit ,Life on Earth evolved .Some what similar to present day evolution theory.

"நிலம் தீ நீர் வளி விசும்போடு ஐந்தும்

கலந்த மயக்கம் உலகம் ஆதலின்-(Tolkapiyam/marapiyal 1589)

Also the Ancient Poetry (anthology)- Paripadal” of the Sangam period reveals to us the Creation Story,which is also some what similar to present day evolution theory.

"In the sky, the first element ether, formless,

appeared with sound in the sky with primal seed.

After many eons the second element, air, that moves

all elements, appeared.  That was followed by the

third element, red fire,that appeared out of the air.

That was followed by water

in the form of snow and cold rain.  Then came the

earth"[Paripadal2:5-12]

PART:40 WILL FOLLOW in next week.